


Nobody Else

by donutdisturblivball



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: AU, Action/Adventure, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, How Do I Tag-, Hurt, Lots of family dynamics, M/M, Minecraft but it’s real life (so they actually die), Possibly OOC, SMP alt ending, War, based off of an animatic, crossposted on my wattpad act :D, fluff (maybe??), go subscribe to dooferdoodles now, haha im kinda sorry but at the same time i’m not sorry, i should probably mention that this is an AU, idk man this fic is riding on some heavy angst, lots of feels, no tommy/tubbo shipping that's kinda weirdchamp mate, possible blood tw?, possible death tw? (depends on how i feel hehehe), possible skephalo, tubbo and tommy run away
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:34:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27237343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/donutdisturblivball/pseuds/donutdisturblivball
Summary: watch thissssss: https://youtu.be/CVzXHpiQXVk (the animatic this fic is based off of! :D)It still seemed so appealing. It was so far from their grasp, yet if they truly wanted it, they could grab it, they could grasp it in their hands.~~~Or, in which once Tommy loses his brother, he goes to the only source of solace he has left.
Relationships: Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Niki | Nihachu/Wilbur Soot, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit
Comments: 57
Kudos: 297





	1. Tommy

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully updates every two weeks?
> 
> Based on a comment on an Dream SMP animation where Tubbo and Tommy run away together. Go check out the animation, it's literally brilliant and adorable and everything. GO WATCH IT. https://youtu.be/CVzXHpiQXVk
> 
> I'm not sure if this will include shipping, but if it does, it'd probably be really subtle DNF, SkepHalo, and Niki x Wilbur. However, this story is mainly about friendship, so... Don't read this story just for ships. You're not gonna get much fan service. 
> 
> DISCLAIMER  
> I don't own any characters, only the plot and the story. To be fair, the plot itself isn't even fully mine. I don't deserve much credit. Thank the Dream SMP members for their amazing role-play, subscribe to Doofer Doodles for making that amazing animatic, thank J Leaders for making that comment. THIS IS JUST A ROLE-PLAY. I ACTUALLY HEARD ABOUT PEOPLE GIVING JSCHLATT HATE, PLEASE DON'T DO THAT, THEY'RE ALL ACTUALLY LIKE RLY GOOD FRIENDS IRL.
> 
> SUBSCRIBE TO: Tommyinnit, Wilbur Soot, Tubbo, Dream, GeorgeNotFound, BadBoyHalo, Skeppy, Jschlatt, Quackity, Nihachu, ItzFundy, Technoblade, and Doofer Doodles 
> 
> Also follow those people on twitch. :D
> 
> ~~~
> 
> this is gonna be a ride.
> 
> -donut

Tommy ran. He ran as fast as his legs would take him. A few minutes prior, he’d sent a telegram to Tubbo to meet him by his house. To be honest, he knew he shouldn’t have. After all, Schlatt would have Tubbo to his beck and call with the upcoming festival. Yet, at the same time, Tommy didn’t care. He needed the comfort of Tubbo. He needed his best friend. He wanted him. So, in the midst of his pain and hurt, he ran.

As he approached, he could make out Tubbo’s familiar silhouette, seemingly pacing underneath a tree. At the sight of his best friend, Tommy immediately took off again, running as fast as his exhausted legs would take him.

“Tubbo!” He yelled, ignoring how his voice cracked. 

“Tommy?! What happened, I-” The said boy quickly turned around to find his arms full of a panting Tommy, and any previous concerns as to why he was asked to meet here were immediately diminished in favor of the well being of his friend. He quickly searched for a bottle of water to hand Tommy.

“Tommy,” he said, sitting them both down on the ground, “Tommy, take a drink.”

Tommy nodded, not saying a word, yet he took the water bottle gratefully. After a few moments of silence between the two, as the wind blew around them, Tubbo spoke up. 

“Tommy… what was that about?” He asked, concern laced in his voice.

Tommy stared hard at the ground, hands fidgeting. He opened his mouth to speak, before the image of Wilbur flashed before his eyes. A corrupt Wilbur. A Wilbur with no hope. Tommy immediately shut his eyes and clamped his mouth shut, his hand gripping the water bottle tightly. Tubbo took notice of Tommy’s sudden discomfort and grabbed Tommy’s hands, rubbing circles on the back of his hands with his thumb. Tommy looked up at Tubbo, who shrugged sheepishly.

“My mum used to do this to me when I was upset,” Tubbo said, slowing the gesture down to a stop, “I can stop-”

“No,” Tommy shook his head, cutting Tubbo off, “It actually does help.”

Tubbo smiled fondly and continued rubbing small circles onto the back of Tommy’s hand. The two sat there for a few moments, enjoying each other’s presence. 

“Hey, Tubbo?” 

“Hm?”

“Why’re you still in your suit? You usually take it off when you meet me.”

Tubbo looked down at his attire, noticing that he was still in his Manberg uniform. 

“Oh,” Tubbo mused, “I guess I just forgot to take it off. Your message seemed pretty urgent.”

Tommy laughed dryly at that. “You look good, though. You look older. Professional.”

Tubbo grinned, “Yeah! I told you that I’m a lawyer, Tommy!”

Tommy sat in silence for a second before laughing hysterically. Tubbo grinned and began laughing as well, gripping Tommy’s hands tighter. After their latter subsided, the two sat in a comfortable silence again. 

“I’ve missed you, Tubbo.”

Tubbo looked at Tommy in slight surprise before smiling fondly.

“I’ve missed you too, Tommy.”

The two grinned at each other, and Tommy pulled Tubbo into a hug. Tubbo eagerly returned the embrace of his best friend, and the two happily basked in one another’s presence. 

As he pulled away, Tommy took in a breath. 

“The reason why I called you here…” he started, tightly gripping onto Tubbo’s hands. “Wilbur…” 

“Wilbur? He was fine when I last saw him.”

Tommy abruptly shook his head. “No, no, Tubbo. He’s.. He’s gone _insane_. He’s corrupt.”

“Corrupt? Wilbur? But-”

“He’s crazy, Tubbo!” Tommy cried, looking desperately into Tubbo’s eyes. “He.. he thinks we’re the bad guys. Us! And he’s always been prideful, he’s always stood so tall, but he was staring at me with this.. this crazed look in his eyes, and Tubbo, I don’t know who he _is_ anymore. He was my guide, my mentor, he was my _brother_ . And, and, now he’s gone insane and he wants to blow Manberg up to ruin the festival, and I said I’d follow him. I promised him, but I don't want to! I don’t want to destroy anything, Tubbo. I want to rebuild. I want.. I want L’manberg back. I… I want _Wilbur_ back.”

Tears were pooling out of Tommy’s eyes by the end of his rant, and Tubbo hated the sight of his best friend crying. He pulled Tommy into a tight embrace, consoling his broken friend whilst taking in the new information. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. His idea was reckless, it was stupid. If what Tommy was saying was true, the idea would break any remains of Wilbur and Tommy’s already strained relationship. It was risky, and Tubbo knew he shouldn’t even give it a second thought. Yet it was an idea, and Tubbo would do anything to see his best friend happy. 

“Tommy,” he said, pulling away slightly, “I have your discs.”

Tommy looked at Tubbo confusedly. “My discs?” he asked.

“Yeah! Tommy… we could run,” Tubbo said, his voice gone down to a mere whisper, a small, sheepish smile present on his face, “We could leave all this behind. We don’t need Manberg or Pogtopia or anything. It can just be us!”

“Run?…” Tommy echoed, seemingly lost in thought. Tubbo nodded excitedly, ready to retreat with excuses if Tommy disagreed. Tommy knew this was a bad idea. They shouldn’t even have entertained the idea of leaving behind the SMP. Yet… it still seemed so appealing. It was so far from their grasp, yet if they truly wanted it, they could grab it, they could grasp it in their hands. They could move past all of the wars. He knew that he should be the voice of reason. Tubbo even thinking of leaving behind Schlatt was a hazard in itself. Yet he wanted it. He wanted it so badly.

Tommy looked at Tubbo, a determination written all over his face. “Let’s do it, Big Law.”

~~~

The next few weeks were a blur for Tommy. After their impromptu meet up, they’d made plans for how they were going to leave the war behind. As the idea of the festival loomed over their heads, Tommy and Tubbo had been sending their plans through coded telegrams. Their escape seemed so far away until it was right in front of them, on the night before the festival commenced. 

“Wilbur?” Tommy asked tentatively. 

Wilbur’s insanity levels only seemed to be increasing exponentially as the days went by. He seemed to always have a crazed look in his eyes, and he seemed to always be shaking. Sometimes, Tommy would wake up in the middle of the night to find him hunched over on his bed, holding a sword, hand shaking. Sometimes he’d caress the weapon, other times, he’d place it down and look longingly at a half burned photo of L’manberg. Tommy would watch as Wilbur walked up to the photo, pick the item up, and rub his thumb longingly on a certain member’s face. As Wilbur would turn off the lights to sleep, Tommy would creep in, and reminisce while looking at the photo. The photo was half burnt, dark splotches covering Fundy’s face, half of Eret’s face (which was scratched out by Wilbur), and other parts of other members. Tommy would trace his smile, Tubbo’s smile, and look sadly at Wilbur’s face, which was happy. Hopeful. Tommy missed that. He missed that smile. He was so tired of looking at the face of an insane Wilbur. He was so tired of Wilbur. 

“Wilbur.” 

The said man looked up from where he was rummaging around in their chest. “What, Tommy? Tomorrow’s a big day, you know.”

Tommy nodded. “Yeah,” he said, “I know.”

“You know…” Wilbur started, tapping a finger on his chin, looking up at the ceiling of their little makeshift hut, “Tonight… we should _celebrate_.”

Tommy let out a shuddered, forced laugh. “You think so?...” he responded, shifting his weight from foot to foot. “This still isn’t the right thing to do, Wilbur.”

“I _know_ it isn’t the right thing to do,” Wilbur said, pulling out a bottle of water from their chest, “But I don’t care.” Wilbur looked back at Tommy, a crooked smile on his face. The hand holding the water bottle shook rapidly as his grip tightened on the plastic. “We’re the villains now, Tommy. I say… we start it off with a bang.”

Tommy exhaled shakily. This wasn’t right. This shouldn’t have been a reality. Tommy didn’t want to look at this sorry excuse for Wilbur and say that it was him. This wasn’t the man he knew, yet at the same time, it just _was_ . At the same time, this nightmare was real. Tommy could only hope that maybe, just perhaps, by some chance, the _real_ Wilbur was still in there. Somewhere, deep down, there could still be his brother. “Wilbur,” he tried, once more. 

“Yes, Tommy?” 

Tommy approached Wilbur and wrapped the older man into a hug. “I… I really love you, Wilbur.” 

Tommy held back his tears. He shouldn’t be crying. He shouldn’t be crying over a man who has left him behind. Yet as he felt Wilbur stop shaking, as he felt Wilbur softly relax in his arms, Tommy knew why he was so close to crying. It was love. It was hope. It was everything that was still left behind after Wilbur became who he is. He almost cried because he knew he’d be leaving it all behind, and even though he was so ready, he was also so unprepared. Tommy tried pouring all his feelings out into this simple gesture, this simple hug. He embraced Wilbur because it would be the last time he ever could.

Wilbur tentatively wrapped his arms around Tommy, hugging the younger male. For a while, they stood together, and Tommy could only hope for the slightest chance of Wilbur suddenly realising his wrongs and deciding to take a different route. Of course, though, once Tommy pulled away, any of those fantasies were immediately squashed as soon as he looked into Wilbur’s eyes. They weren’t happy, they were corrupt. They weren’t _Wilbur_. 

Tommy sighed. “I’m.. I’m going to sleep now. Night, Wilbur.”

“G’night, Tommy,” Wilbur said, turning back to the chest. Right as Tommy was about to leave, Wilbur stopped him. “Hey, Tommy?”

Tommy turned to face his brother. “Yeah?”

“Thanks, man. For sticking with me. I know you could’ve always left, but you stayed. You mean lots to me.” Wilbur shot him the most genuine smile Tommy had seen in months. It was as if Wilbur knew of his plans and was trying to stop him in the most subtle way. Tommy smiled stiffly and nodded as he turned the corner to move downstairs. As soon as he was out of sight, the tears fell. He wished it wasn’t so hard.

That night, as Wilbur soundly slept, Tommy crept past him. He passed the photo of L’manberg, leaving a note next to the charred photograph. He didn’t look back as he broke the dirt that led to their makeshift house, and he didn’t look back as he took the long walk to the forest edge. He didn’t look back as he greeted Tubbo with a hug, nor when he helped Tubbo up onto their stolen horse. He didn’t look back as he hoisted himself and his bags onto the horse, and he didn’t look back as he rode into the distance, away from it all. However, as the sun rose and the two stood atop a hill, miles away from their home, he did look back. He looked back at Pogtopia, Manberg, and the Dream SMP. He looked back and smiled.

“Goodbye, Wilbur,” he muttered, before he looked to Tubbo, who was still muttering all his goodbyes. 

“Bye Niki, and Wilbur, and Fundy, and Eret, and Quackity, and Bad, and…” 

Tommy smiled fondly as Tubbo quietly rambled on. He placed his hand on Tubbo’s shoulder who looked at him in surprise before grinning. The two looked back into the distance and exhaled in harmony. 

“Goodbye,” they muttered. Tommy got back onto their horse, helping Tubbo get on behind him. He looked back one last time before urging their horse forwards. He was never going back.

  
  
  


_Wilbur,_

_By the time you read this note, I’ll be gone. Tubbo and I are running away. We’re leaving it all behind. Maybe I shouldn’t have told you this, but I think you deserve to know. I’m sorry. I know I told you that I’d stick with you, and that I’d follow you. But… I think we both knew from the start that I couldn’t. I don’t want to blow things up, Will. I just wanted to rebuild. I just wanted L’manberg. To be honest, I know that I can’t get either of those things. So, now, I want to run. I want to run with Tubbo, so that’s what I’m doing. I’m really sorry, Will. I really am._

_I probably won’t ever see you again, so just know that I do love you. Thank you for being there for me. Thanks for being my brother._

_If you do decide to go through with blowing Manberg up, at least spare Niki. I know she means millions to you._

_Love,_

_Tommy_

  
  



	2. Schlatt/Wilbur

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUDE EVERYONE'S REACTIONS TO THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER WERE SO NICE I WANNA CRYYYYYY <3333
> 
> THANK YOU ALL SO SO SO SO SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT, AND LIKE I DIDN'T EXPECT PEOPLE TO LIKE THIS WHATTTTTT????? :DD
> 
> I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH OKAY ILL STOP NOW BUT ENJOY THE CHAPTER!!!
> 
> oh also, i received FANART for my story!! thank you SO much, CheeseBlock!! <33  
> go check it out at this link! https://cheeseblocktm.tumblr.com/post/633197822149345280/i-know-you-couldve-always-left-but-you-stayed
> 
> send them LOTS of love from me!! :DD
> 
> //tw: lots of swearing, minor Niki x Wilbur, minor DNF (it can still be seen platonically tho)

Schlatt woke up feeling excited. Today was the day Manberg finally came to become a nation, a real nation. It was the day of a festival, where the government could bond with his citizens. The day had started out as it should have. He ate breakfast and then surveyed the citizens of his nation. Yet, as the time went by, a certain person’s presence just seemed to be missing.

“QUACKITY,” he yelled, “Where the fuck is Tubbo?”

“I don’t know, sir,” the vice president shrugged, “I’ll go check his quarters.”

“You better hurry that up,” Schlatt replied, his anger growing by the minute, “Today’s a big day, and if it doesn’t go perfect because of a measly kid, I’ll-”

“I’m sure he’s just sleeping, sir.”

“He’d better have a good excuse for sleeping in today of all days.”

Schlatt took a steadying breath. He needed to calm down. Having a temperamental breakdown on the day of the festival wouldn’t do. No, it would be like Wilbur, someone who acted like the government wasn’t higher than the governed. Wilbur, who showed himself to his people too freely. Wilbur, who sang stupid songs, who was obviously in love with a citizen. He wondered to himself if Wilbur knew just how dumb that was of him, to fall in love with someone so meek. Schlatt shook his head. He couldn’t be compared to such an imbecile. He shouldn’t. He was better, and everyone knew that. Schlatt rubbed the temple of his head. He needed to be more happy today. He knew Tubbo wouldn’t let him down. He held too much over Tubbo. If he wanted to, he could’ve easily sent out a search party for Tommy and Wilbur, two of the most important people to Tubbo, and killed the duo in front of him. He knew that Tubbo wouldn’t let him down just because he cared too much about his best friend. Schlatt smirked to himself. It was funny how love could completely ruin a man. Tubbo wouldn’t let him down, simply because he couldn’t. All he had to do was wait for his right hand man.

“Uh, sir?” Quackity called, seemingly more fidgety than he was just moments prior.

“Yeah?”

“Tubbo… he’s not in his quarters. We can’t find him anywhere.”

Schlatt was silent for a few moments before he spoke again. “I’m sorry, Quackity, but I think I misheard you. Could you repeat yourself?”

“I… I said that we can’t find Tubbo.”

“Quackity…” Schlatt slowly spoke his name, “Did you  _ really _ just tell me that you can’t find Tubbo?”

“Yes, sir.”

George came up behind Quackity, seemingly worried. “Quackity, we couldn’t find any trace of him except this note that he left under his pillow.”

Schlatt marched up to the british man. “Hand over the note, George.”

He handed Schlatt the folded note, which had around a paragraph of messy writing on it. All was quiet for a few minutes before Schlatt slammed the note onto the table.

George eyed the parchment carefully. “What’d it say?”

Quackity swatted his arm, muttering a quick, “Shut up!”

“We need to see that damned Wilbur,” Schlatt replied, pointedly ignoring George’s question. George and Quackity looked at each other as they watched their leader march out of the room. As soon as he’d left, George scrambled to pick up the parchment.

“To whoever finds this: Yeah, I left. I’m really sorry, but it kinda just got to be too much. I know I’m gonna be in one hell of a punishment if you ever find me, so I won’t say too much. I guess it all just piled up, like first I lost my best friend and Wilbur, and then everything just seemingly got worse. It’s really hard to pretend that I’m okay. I just wanna be able to not be okay, and running away from it all seems to be better. Maybe that makes me a coward, but I’d rather be a coward who’s okay rather than a brave kid who’s not okay. Sorry. I tried, I guess.”

George and Quackity glanced at each other before throwing the note back onto the table and chasing after Schlatt. “Not gonna lie, I’m kinda rooting for him,” Quackity whispered to George, who nodded in response. “Same.”

~~~

Wilbur woke up scared. Was this normal? Should villains feel scared right before their big day? However he felt, it really didn’t matter, though. Today was the day of the festival. The day where everything died. He didn’t know why Tommy felt so obliged to change his mind. His stunt last night was unexpected. Wilbur knew that Tommy was forcing himself to stay, so that’s why he thanked him the night before. He might be a bit insane, but that didn’t mean that he was stupid. He watched as Tommy shakily left the room, and he didn’t miss the tears leaking from the corners of his eyes. Maybe it was too much for Tommy. It wasn’t as if he didn’t care about the kid, of course he did. Tommy would always be his brother. Yet, at the same time, he had lost everything. Maybe he should’ve tried a bit harder to keep Tommy. From the way he acted, it came across as if Tommy was expendable. However, it was quite the opposite. Tommy was his little anchor. He wasn’t completely crazy, and Tommy helped keep him grounded. The only reason why Tommy could be expendable is because he wasn’t sure if he wanted to be grounded. Yet, as he woke up, scared and anxious, in a quiet atmosphere that didn’t seem right, he knew he wanted to be grounded. 

“Tommy?” he called, “Tommy, can we talk?” 

As he received no response, he went to find Tommy, only to find no one there. Frantically, he ran to his room, searching through the chest only to find half of their supplies gone. He slumped down onto the ground, a loud ringing in his ears. Did he do this? Was Tommy ever here in the first place? Where was Tommy? Curling up on himself, he screamed. He screamed because Tommy was gone, everything was gone, and nothing was coming back. He screamed because he was lost and he wanted to be found, but nobody would want to find a broken man. He screamed because he had every reason to. 

“Tommy… Tommy, man…” he muttered to himself, “Why’d you leave me?...” 

That was a good question. Why did he leave Wilbur? They had to stick together, they were a team. Tubbo was questionable, but it would always be Tommy and Wilbur, Wilbur and Tommy. Only someone evil, someone manipulative, someone like  _ Schlatt _ would do something like this. Yet, at the same time, Schlatt had also kicked Tommy out. Wilbur shook his head. There was an explanation, a reasonable one, and Wilbur was not at fault. Only the  _ hero _ would ruin chances for the  _ villains _ . Only Schlatt would take Tommy away, and Wilbur was determined to get him back. 

~~~

“SCHLATT!”

“WILBUR SOOT!”

“WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO WITH TUBBO?!”

“WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO WITH TOMMY?!”

The two had met at the border of Manberg, fuming. George and Quackity soon followed close behind, sending each other worried looks. 

“What do you mean, ‘What the fuck did you do with Tommy?’ I’d like to know where you’ve taken my right hand man!” Schlatt yelled, pointing an accusatory finger at Wilbur.

“I don’t know what the hell is going on between you and Tubbo, but I don’t care. Where the fuck is Tommy?” Wilbur snapped back, slapping Schlatt’s finger away. 

“How am I supposed to fucking know where Tommy is? I don’t give a shit about that kid!”

“Well I do, where the hell did you take him?”

“I haven’t laid my hands on him!”

“Liar!” Wilbur shouted, “Where is he?!”

The population of Manberg soon arrived, drawn to the scene from the noise. Wilbur stepped back as many familiar faces came to view, before locking his gaze back onto Schlatt.

“Tell me where you’ve taken my brother, you dickwad.”

Schlatt groaned, throwing his head back before snapping forward. “I don’t know where your kid went, but if anything, he’d probably have left someone as cowardly as you.”

Wilbur looked down, and Schlatt kept his gaze hard on. For a good ten seconds, everything was quiet. The only notable sounds were the heavy breathing of the leader and the outcast, the leaves moving through the trees, and the hushed murmurs of the crowd. 

“How  _ dare _ you,” Wilbur seethed, tilting his head as he looked up, “How fucking  _ dare  _ you!”

The crazed man let out an airy laugh, filled with anything but humor. “I’m the coward?” He asked, a maniacal grin on his face. “I’m the coward? Says you, a man so lowly that they can’t do anything on their own!”

“ _ I _ can’t do anything on my own?” Schlatt growled, “You can’t go a  _ day _ without Tommy by your side! You’re just a little moron with an insecurity complex who pushes everyone away.”

“ _ You fucking bastard.” _

Just as Wilbur was about to charge at the president, Dream and Technoblade ran into the scene, holding the crazed man back.

“Dream?” George whispered, frozen in place. 

“Wilbur!” Dream yelled, “Calm down.”

Wilbur continued to struggle against the duo’s grip, “Let  _ go _ of me!”

Techno shook his head. “Dream and I found something.”

“I don’t give a fuck about your something, Techno, let me go!”

“It’s something relating to Tommy,” Technoblade offered, before looking at Schlatt as well. “It tells us where Tubbo’s gone too.”

Both men stood down, Schlatt standing in a sophisticated posture, Wilbur going slack in Dream and Techno’s arms. Dream relaxed his grip, standing Wilbur up, while Techno let Wilbur go completely. 

“Show us, then,” Schlatt ordered. 

Dream let go of Wilbur and pulled a note out of his pocket. He cleared his throat before speaking. “Tommy left this note for you, Wilbur,” he started, tilting his head towards said male in acknowledgement. Wilbur nodded. “It says that he left with Tubbo,” Dream read slowly, “They… they decided to leave everything behind.”

Everyone stood in silence, the words left heavily in the air. 

“They left because of you,” Schlatt deadpanned, his voice scarily monotone. “This wouldn’t have fucking happened… if it weren’t for  _ you _ .”

Nobody moved to object him, and Wilbur just slumped to the ground. Suddenly, he let out a scream, a scream of a man who had lost all he ever had. Techno looked down at him, his face void of emotion. Dream only pitifully gave him a sympathetic look, and the onlookers either turned away to go back to work, or stayed staring at the broken man. Niki pitifully looked at her friend, before ultimately deciding to walk over and give him a hug.

“I’m so sorry, Wilbur,” she whispered, on the brink of tears as she felt Wilbur shaking against her frame.

“Nihachu,” Schlatt said, “Step away from him.”

Niki only turned to glare at the president, shaking her head defiantly. “No.”

“ _ Nihachu _ ,” he said more sternly, “Don’t make me fucking repeat myself.”

“I already said no, Mister President,” she repeated, “I refuse to leave my friend alone when he’s lost so much already.”

“If you keep this up, he’ll be losing you, too.”

She stood up, looking at the Manberg president with a fiery gaze. “I’m not leaving Wilbur again, Schlatt,” she argued, “We’ve lost Tommy  _ and _ Tubbo now, and it’s not just his fault. You need to realise that you’re not as high and mighty as you think.”

“I am your  _ president _ ,” he growled, fists curling up as he spoke, “You’re not allowed to speak to the higher ups like that. There’s consequences for your actions, Nihachu.”

Niki’s stance didn’t waver at his threat, and she kept her gaze hard on. “I’ll speak to you with respect once you earn it.”

With that, she turned away, focusing her attention back on her friend. She and Dream helped Wilbur up and the three walked away. Technoblade looked at Schlatt, giving him a look void of emotion. He seemed to be debating what to say to the president, before simply nodding towards him in acknowledgement and walking away. 

~~~

Wilbur was silent ever since they made it back to Pogtopia. He sat in his bed looking down at the sheets. Was it really his fault? He didn’t even know anymore. Tommy had agreed to go down this path with him, they had mutually agreed that they were right, and that they were going to be the bad guys-- they would be the villains. He knew Tommy didn’t think that what they were doing was right, yet that didn’t waver him before. How well did he  _ really _ know his brother? How much had Tommy been hiding from him? Wilbur sighed and threw his head back in exhaustion. There were too many thoughts, the adrenaline hadn’t gone away. He just needed time to think.

“What do we do about him?” Dream asked. Niki, Techno, and himself were talking amongst themselves while Techno farmed potatoes. As soon as the four had gotten back from the Manberg border, Niki had forced the man to get some much needed rest. Dream and Technoblade gave her a tour of the place, and now Dream and Niki were leaning against the wall of Techno’s potato farm. 

“There’s nothing much to do,” Technoblade shrugged, “He’s upset.”

“But he’s also more broken than he was before. Tommy was like his anchor.”

The three sat in silence as Techno continued taking out potatoes and replanting them. Niki slid down the wall to sit more comfortably against the stone. Dream tapped his foot on the ground and drummed his fingers against his arms as he thought. 

“It’s really quiet in here,” Niki whispered.

Dream hummed in acknowledgement. “It used to be a lot louder when Tommy was around. Tubbo used to come by too sometimes,” he replied. The masked man looked up at the ceiling, seemingly in thought. “It’s funny how much life those two brought to us.”

Niki nodded, understandingly. “I’m worried about them,” she confessed, “I’m worried about Wilbur.”

Dream sighed, sliding down the wall to sit next to Niki. “I’m worried too,” he admitted, “But I’m sure those two can handle themselves. They fought a war together against me.”   
  


Niki laughed airly at his comment. She longingly looked out the doorway up at Wilbur’s room. “I’m still worried about Wilbur, though.”

Dream made a noise of agreement. “He’ll be fine. I hope, at least,” he said, “We’ve just gotta get Tommy and Tubbo back.”

“I don’t know if I even want to take those two back from whatever life they’re living now,” Niki sighed, guiltily looking down at her knees as she hugged them close to her chest. “But at the same time, I wanna help Wilbur. I’m just so conflicted.”

The two sat in silence for a while, Dream relaxed against the wall, and Niki curled up as she leaned on a furnace by her. 

“You know, you’re really brave,” he said, suddenly.

“What do you mean?”

“You stood up to Schlatt really well. Not many people could do that.”

“It was for Wilbur,” she sighed, “I knew I couldn’t just leave him behind again. He really does mean so much to me.”

Dream gave her a knowing smile. “Does he now?”

Her face lit up in a blush and she looked away from his gaze. “Yeah, he does.”

He laughed at her response. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell.”

She didn’t look at him as she buried her face into her knees, which just made him wheeze. 

~~~ 

Schlatt slammed the doors of the white house closed as he entered. George and Quackity flinched at the noise, and their posture slouched for a mere second before they stood up straight again. 

“We need to get Tubbo back.”

“How are we supposed to do that?” George asked. Quackity elbowed him.

“We’ll get help,” Schlatt said, his look turning mischievous.

“From who? Our citizens?”

“I mean, they  _ did _ really like Tubbo,” George shrugged.

“No… we’ll go ask Wilbur.” 

Quackity and George looked at each other in alarm. “ _ What?! _ ”

“He’s looking for Tommy, right?” Schlatt reasoned, his laugh turning menacing, “We’ll swipe both kids right out under his nose… he just needs to trust us.”

“Schlatt, Wilbur’s never gonna trust us,” Quackity said.

“No… but maybe we could get one of his alliances to trust us,” Schlatt said, grinning as a plan formed in his head. “George.”

The said man looked at Schlatt, confusion in his eyes. The president looked at him expectantly, and his idea clicked into his head. 

“No,” George shook his head, “No way.”

“George,” he growled, dominantly, “You’re gonna do this, George.”

“Wha- no! I’m not gonna… I’m not gonna play with Dream like that,” George argued, “He.. No, I won’t, Schlatt.”

Schlatt sighed, “Well, George… I could always do worse things to him.”

The brit’s eyes widened at the implications, and he shook his head rapidly. “No, fine, I’ll do it! Just don’t hurt him.” 

The president grinned manipulatively at George. “That’s what I thought.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you all enjoyed! maybe this one was lacking in angst, but oh well, it wasn't really my goal this chapter lol
> 
> so one last thing is that i MIGHT actually add DNF into this, but i've gotta know if you guys are gonna want that. i'm so so sorry, but i don't multiship, so I'm not into other ships other than DNF and SkepHalo. Also, this is definitely gonna have Niki x Wilbur in it, so I'm super super sorry if you don't like those pairings :(
> 
> anyway, i'd just like to say thank you once again, and i hope you guys enjoyed reading!!! please drop a comment if you'd like, i love hearing what others think of my work :D


	3. George/Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dream misses George, and George misses Dream. Schlatt may or may not have something up his sleeve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been... a really... long time... I'm sorry qwp
> 
> it took a while bc i had lots of other one shots that took my attention (whoops :0), and i didn't get much input as to whether i should make DNF platonic or romantic (its romantic sorry-), but to make up for it, it's double the length it usually is :D 
> 
> chapter lengths might forever stay this way- idk- but its never gonna go under 2000 so-
> 
> warnings: swearing (do you know me by now?-), subtle Wilbur x Niki, lots of DNF
> 
> enjoy.
> 
> ~donut :>

George was Dream’s best friend, and Dream was George’s. That was how it always was, until a few months ago, when George teamed up with Quackity and Schlatt for the L’manberg election. He didn’t tell Dream, nor did he tell Sapnap— the two only found out when the announcement of SWAG 2020, to which they both promptly exploded. Sapnap immediately went to confront the Brit, and then he hadn’t heard from Dream for a few days. Maybe it made him a bit more upset than it should have, that his best friend reacted by ghosting him, instead of talking to him. Then again, he wasn’t the best with confrontations, and even more so feelings, so he simply kept to himself. All the things that he wanted to say, things he wanted to do? He kept them hidden under multiple layers of lies and masks, he shoved them all into a box and buried them deep into the corners of his mind. Instead, he focused on being a good Vice President for Schlatt.

Yet, as always, there were those days when Schlatt would be too demanding, too controlling. There were those days when he wished he could have the comfort of his best friend, not just the photos he had saved to his communicator. There were those nights where he’d stay awake a bit too late rereading his messages with Dream, feeling his heart flutter at some interactions before it would all come crashing down with the realisation that he hadn’t properly talked to his best friend in months. 

Dream was always mysterious. He kept on a mask, quite literally, that hid his emotions from the world. There would be times where he wished he could rip off the accessory and just see  _ Dream _ for the first time. But he always wanted to be of his own accord. He didn’t want to push Dream into doing something he didn’t want to do, no matter how much his heart ached to see the face that belonged to his best friend.

Dream was never an open individual. Maybe that’s what made George so happy that he was Dream’s main confident (up until a few months ago, at least), that Dream trusted George. He always had strange motives, ominous intentions, and complicated morals. There were times that Dream would do something and George would spend hours that were meant for sleep just thinking about why Dream would do what he did. He always came to the same conclusion. He was just Dream, and no one, not even him, would ever understand how the mind of that man worked. 

So, it was another restless night as George laid awake in his bed, supplied by Schlatt. He’d moved out of the house that he used to share with Dream and Sapnap to live where he did now. Sometimes he’d wake up, expecting to smell some breakfast being cooked, or maybe yelling from his two friends, or maybe even just the silence and the view of Dream sleeping soundly next to him (with his mask on, believe it or not. George didn’t know whether to feel upset or amused that Dream would go to such lengths as to sleep with a mask on to just simply hide his face). Every time, he’d have to remember the choice he made, and the consequences he suffered from it. It wasn’t that it was  _ bad _ , necessarily to have made the choice he made, he just found instances where he really missed his best friend.

Dream was with Wilbur. Dream was fighting on the opposite side of a war from him; he was his enemy now. Obviously, Dream had to have known that when he decidedly joined Wilbur. It was funny just how quickly Dream had been classified as his ‘Best Friend That’s Been Ghosting Me for a While That I Might Have a Crush On,’ to ‘The Enemy That Was My Best Friend That’s Been Ghosting Me for a While Who I Definitely Have a Crush On.’ 

It was a big change, and what scared George was just how quickly he had grown used to it. Dream wasn’t someone he could trust anymore, and while that hurt him more than it relatively should’ve, it was the plain truth, and there was nothing that he could do about it. No matter how many times he wanted to send him a late night text simply wishing him a good night, or how many times he wanted to meet up with him just to be in one another’s presence, he couldn’t do any of it unless he wanted to be called a traitor. He could’ve done it before, when Dream’s role in his life wasn’t as clear, but now it was too late.

George sighed, taking a clock out of his pocket to check the time. It wasn’t nearly anytime close to sunrise, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to get rest. He idly wondered if he’d have any bags under his eyes to show that he didn’t get any sleep the next day (or, more accurately, later that day), but any thoughts of the future were squandered as he slipped out of his room, an axe in hand.

Before he’d left Dream, there were times when he’d find Dream slipping out of bed, an axe in hand. The first time, he’d confusedly stopped him, before Dream had ushered him back to bed without an explanation. As it kept on recurring, George eventually tagged along, and they’d chop down trees together to deal with Dream’s insomnia. Perhaps it wasn’t the best idea, as Dream’s terrible sleeping habits had slowly become George’s, but it felt like it was ‘their’ thing, and George couldn’t bring himself to give it up. Sometimes they’d talk about everything and nothing, and the silence that they basked in said everything that needed to be said. Now, though, when he couldn’t sleep, he walked to the forest alone, without his tall companion by his side. 

It was supposed to get his mind off of everything. It was supposed to be uneventful.

But really, nothing ever goes the way he plans, does it?

“Dream?”

It’s foreign on his tongue. Dream saw him earlier, and he knows it. He knows that Dream heard him before, just like he just heard him now. He doesn’t know what he expects. Maybe Dream would turn around and greet him? Maybe he’d give him a hug. Maybe he’d even kiss him.

But George knows that those are just fantasies. Instead, Dream does exactly what he did prior. He doesn’t acknowledge George, despite obviously hearing him. Maybe to anyone else, the slight flinch in his movements would be ignored. To anyone else, the way he stilled for a mere second would go unnoticed. But not by George. No, George saw the way his body jerked slightly, the way his body went still as the world around them seemed to stop. Then, just as that second was over, he swung his axe back and hit the tree again. With the sound of the loud  _ thwack! _ , George was suddenly brought back to reality as the sounds of leaves rustling and birds chirping registered in his mind. 

“Dream,” he said again, more firmly. He wanted to talk to Dream again. He missed his friend. He’d missed the way Dream would laugh, and he missed their teasing arguments and the way that he could spend hours in silence with his friend. He didn’t like this… whatever it was. He hated what had become of their friendship. Instead of the comfortable silence that used to drape around their shoulders, all he could feel was the thick tension between them. He wanted to say so much, but he kept his mouth shut. He wouldn’t say anything until Dream did. He wouldn’t do anything until Dream did. That was how it tended to be; George wouldn’t budge until Dream came to him. Sapnap used to call him a stubborn bitch, and to be frank, that really was the truth. He was stubborn, but just this once, he’d make the first move.

~~~

“Dream,” George whispered, and if Dream wasn’t so aware of his presence, he wouldn’t have heard it. 

He’d missed the way his name sounded coming from George. He stilled for a mere second, his eyes widening behind his mask. George sounded just as breathless he did earlier, and it shouldn’t have made his heart jump in his chest. He closed his eyes just as quickly as they had widened and willed his body to forget that George was there as he took another swing at the tree. 

“Dream.”

He almost physically shuddered at how firm George sounded. To be completely and utterly honest, he wasn’t quite sure himself as to why he had cut George off, but a few days turned into a few weeks, and then a few weeks turned into a few months, and at that point, he didn’t want to approach his friend out of fear that he wouldn’t accept him anymore. Eventually, they had become strangers to one another. Or, at least, that’s what he’d thought. 

“Can we please talk?”

Dream sighed, dropping his axe next to his feet. The tool laid on the grass as he took a seat on the stumps of one of the trees. George shifted uncomfortably.

“What do you need?”

George tentatively walked over and sat next to Dream, except on the grass. He sighed as he leaned back. “I just wanted to talk to you again.” He shakily exhaled. “I’ve missed your voice.”

Dream felt himself unconsciously lean closer to his friend. “Me too.”

Despite that, the two didn’t talk that much after that. George simply leaned against the tree stump Dream was sitting on, resting his head in Dream’s lap. Dream seemed a bit surprised initially, but he simply sighed in content and began playing with the locks of George’s hair. George hummed slightly, and the two sat there as the sun came up over the horizon. George and Dream saw two different sunrises. They looked at the same thing and saw it so differently. To George, it would be so awfully desaturated. It would be as if someone had dulled the entire scene. To Dream, it would look beautiful. To Dream, it would be breathtaking, no matter how many times he’d seen it. 

_ Well _ , he supposed, leaning back on the stump,  _ Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. _

George looked beautiful under the morning sun. His eyes shined and his hair sparkled. There were freckles on his face, but they were barely visible. His lips seemed glossy, and it was as if they were calling to him, like a siren; a stupid thought for sure. The wind blew past his face, and his nose would scrunch up slightly in the most adorable way. It wasn’t the first time he had noticed these things, or wanted them. The thoughts had occurred before when they were close, and despite falling apart, he felt a sense of solidarity as George comfortably settled into his side. Dream simply admired George while he still could. They had so much left to say, but for now, the silence was enough.

~~~

George didn’t know when, but he had fallen asleep. When he’d woken up again, Dream was gone. He supposed that was to be expected. It happened every time. 

George sighed dejectedly.

And everytime it happened, he couldn’t help but feel disappointed. As he stretched, he realized that his neck didn’t ache, despite remembering the position he’d fallen asleep in. As his consciousness slowly came back to him, he sat up. Oh. So he was laying down. He looked down to find a hoodie that he most definitely didn’t recall bringing out in his lap. He hadn’t gotten cold either. As he put two and two together, the only explanation that came to mind was that Dream had left the sweater with him so he wouldn’t feel cold (there probably were other possibilities, but George decided that they were irrelevant). 

George smiled to himself as he brought the cloth to his nose, taking in the scent of the hoodie. It didn’t smell like Dream; it was far too dirty for that, but he couldn’t help but grin as a familiar faint scent wafted its way into George’s nose. Vanilla. He buried his face into the cloth. 

George jumped slightly as he realised he’d gotten a message on his communicator.

**Quackity:** georgeeeee

**Quackity:** schlatts literally gonna kill you its been two hours

His eyes widened.

_ Shit. _

~~~

Dream arrived back at Pogtopia very differently than he had left it. He had a soft smile under his mask, his axe in his inventory compared to in hand, and missing his hoodie. He broke the two dirt blocks and replaced them before walking to his room. He went down to find something to eat. 

“Dream.”

Dream raised an eyebrow at the voice. “Techno,” he nodded.

“You’re up early,” Technoblade noted, placing another stack of potatoes in the furnace.

“I went out for a bit,” he replied, searching through their chests for something to eat that wasn’t potatoes. “Do we have any other food?”

Techno looked at him, unimpressed. He gestured to the piles of baked potatoes that were beginning to stack up.

“That aren’t potatoes,” Dream clarified.

Technoblade shrugged. “If we do, then I don’t really care. Someone else will probably know.”

“You’re the only other one awake.”

“Not my problem,” he said, before pausing. “Did you seriously go out in just that?”

Dream stopped rummaging through the chests filled with potatoes. “Yes,” he answered finally, his tone firm. Techno raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything more. 

A few minutes later, Niki came down, greeting the two with a bright grin on her face. “Good morning!”

“Morning, Niki,” Dream greeted, “Do we have any other food here that’s not potatoes?”

Niki thought for a moment. “I wouldn’t know, since I just got here yesterday,” she smiled apologetically, “Sorry, Dream. Maybe Will knows, but he’s asleep, so I’m not gonna disturb him.”

“Hasn’t he been asleep since yesterday’s fight with Schlatt?” Techno asked, before offering the German a baked potato. She accepted it, but picked at it slightly instead of eating it.

“He needs more rest, I think,” she muttered, “He has bags under his eyes. They don’t look so good. He… he looks stressed even in his sleep.”

Dream and Techno glanced at each other. Dream nodded. “If you say so.”

“I’m going to get some food.” Dream sighed as he stood up, stretching. Techno motioned to the multitudes of potatoes again. “That isn't potatoes.”

“I will never understand you sometimes.”

He gave him a pointed look. “You’re the one with the potato obsession.”

“They’re healthy and nutritious.”

“You can’t have potatoes as your only meal!”

“I can and I will. The potato gods have chosen me for this.”

Dream groaned. “Sure.”

He walked up the stairs to grab an axe and a shield, just in case. He broke the dirt blocks, replaced them, and started out on a way to find some food. Maybe he’d purposefully get a load of pork just to poke at Techno. He grinned to himself. If Techno gets his potatoes, then he gets his pork. Simple as that.

He tossed up the axe nonchalantly, catching it by the handle as it came back down. He whistled a tune as he walked throughout the forest. The leaves rustled as the wind-- wind? There was no wind. He didn’t feel cold, despite not grabbing another hoodie before leaving Pogtopia. Dream eased out of his relaxed posture, continuing to walk through the forest, throwing his axe up and catching it. The leaves continued to rustle as he walked, but he still didn’t feel any wind on his face, nor his body. His tune didn’t stop as he became hyper aware of his surroundings. He wasn’t alone. He glanced at the ground. Shadows. He stopped, glancing around as if he was looking for some animals to hunt before the grass betrayed his followers, making noise as someone charged at him from behind. He swiftly turned around, just as his attacker came close enough to throw a punch and held up his shield. 

Quackity?

The Vice President rebounded and he took the opportunity to throw a punch, kicking his foot out to trip the man. He fell to the ground and grunted as Dream stood above him, his axe under his throat. Dream looked around for any more attackers.

“Quackity,” he said, watching as the said man glared up at him. “Why’re you following me?”

“How’d you even…”

“You weren’t being silent,” Dream shook his head. “Now, why are you following me?”

Another shadow came into his peripheral vision, and he shot his head up. Schlatt.

“I can answer that for you,” he smiled, and Dream glared daggers at him through his mask. “But I’m going to have to ask you to get off him.”

“No more attacks?” Dream asked, an eyebrow raised. 

Schlatt shook his head. “I don’t have anything else up my sleeve.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

“Oh,” he replied, “Well, I suppose that makes sense. No one can really fool you.”

George stepped out of the shadows, and Dream sighed. “Is that all?”

Schlatt nodded and he looked over to George to see if he was lying. No bad signs.

“Alright,” he replied, removing the axe from the proximity of Quackity’s throat. He kept his guard up as the man scrambled up to stand behind Schlatt. “Why are you following me?”

“We need to see Wilbur.”

Dream hummed. “Oh?”

“I want-- We want to talk to him about finding Tubbo and Tommy,” Schlatt replied.

He looked at him unimpressed. “You’re joking.”

“Nope,” the President shook his head, “I’m one-hundred percent serious.”

Dream thought for a moment. “I won’t show you where we’re staying,” he answered, “But I’ll get Wilbur to meet up with you.” 

Schlatt shrugged. “Good enough for me.”

“He’ll meet you later today, at the border. Maybe at midnight.”

“Alone?” 

“No.”

The President sighed before nodding in agreement. “Shake on it?”   
  


Dream shook his head. “Take my word for it,” he replied, walking off into the distance. “And don’t stalk me next time.”

He reached Pogtopia, after taking multiple twists and turns in order to get them off his tail, should they be following him. Luckily for him, he was able to find lots of food on his prolonged detour.

“I’m back,” he shouted, after replacing the blocks.

Niki greeted him first. “Dream! You were gone for like five hours!”

He sighed, scratching the back of his neck. “Yeah, I know.”

“Where were you?”

“I had to take some detours,” he replied as he dumped the food he’d gotten into a chest.

Techno came over and glanced in the chest. He glared at Dream. “It’s all pork. Am I supposed to laugh?”

Dream shrugged, grinning to himself under his mask. “If you want.”

“You went out for five hours just to get pork?” Wilbur asked, coming out from Techno’s potato farm.

“Oh, good morning, sleeping beauty,” Dream replied, “But no. You guys won’t believe what happened while I was out there.”

The three stayed silent, and Dream launched into his story.

~~~

“He agreed rather easily,” Schlatt noted as they watched Dream walk away. “You certainly make him soft.”

“What?” George asked, feeling his neck burn. 

“Nothing,” Schlatt sighed. “Midnight, huh?”

“At least you got what you wanted,” Quackity said, “Can we please go back now?”

Schlatt nodded. They walked back to Manberg, but he looked back to find Dream’s figure completely out of sight. He sighed to himself. Dream was so far away. Out of reach. He couldn’t grasp him, no matter how hard he tried.

The rest of the day sped by. Nothing notable had happened as they awaited midnight. Finally, Quackity knocked on his door, and he grabbed a shield and an axe to bring just in case. They greeted each other with a smile and a nod before Schlatt impatiently called for them. The walk to the border of Manberg was silent. Dream was leaning on a tree when they arrived, Niki held Wilbur’s hand as they whispered to each other in conversation, and Techno was sharpening his sword. 

“So, this is the band of perpetrators we’re up against?” Schlatt said, grabbing the attention of all four. 

“We’re not fucking perpetrators,” Dream replied, pushing himself off the trunk of the tree. “You said you wanted to come here to talk to Wilbur about them. Either do that or leave.”

Schlatt laughed. “Aggressive.”

Dream didn’t laugh, instead staring at Schlatt. It was intimidating, his mask. You could never tell what he was thinking or how he felt. George hated that.

“Are you going to keep laughing, or should we leave?” Niki asked.

“I’m still your superior, Nihachu.”

She shook her head. “I’m not under your rule anymore. You don’t deserve an ounce of my respect. I’m not giving you anything.”

Schlatt raised an eyebrow, sending her a judgemental look. “Hm.”

“What do you need, Schlatt?” Wilbur intervened. 

“How kind of you to ask!” he exclaimed, clapping his hands together. “See, I knew we would get along just fine. Thank you, Wilbur.”

He glared in response.

“I’d like to talk to you about Tubbo and… his… mistake of a best friend.”

“He’s not a fucking mistake,” Wilbur grit his teeth. “He’s my brother.”

“Same difference,” Quackity replied. Wilbur aimed his glare towards him instead, and he cowered slightly.

“I’m not gonna put up with your bullshit. Either cut to the chase or we’re leaving.”

Schlatt laughed again. “Fine,” he said, “I want to… create a truce, I suppose. Let’s work together to find them.”

“A truce?” Techno spoke up, raising an eyebrow at the President. 

“Yes,” he affirmed, “Let’s find them together.”

“Why the fuck should I make a truce with  _ you _ ?” Wilbur asked.

“Because we can help each other,” Schlatt responded, as if the answer was obvious, “You help me find my right hand man, and I’ll help you find your reckless excuse of a brother.”

Before Wilbur could retort, Dream interrupted. “What’s the catch?”

“Catch?”

“I mean, why are you doing this? I’m sure you could find Tubbo just fine on your own. You don’t need us. Why?”

“Well then,” Schlatt replied, acting as if he was offended, “I guess you can just wait to find them on your own… You’re right, we don’t need you. I thought I’d just be nice and offer.”

“‘Nice’ and you don’t line up in my book,” Wilbur glared. 

“I’m very nice,” Schlatt smiled, “The people obviously liked me more than you, Wilbur.”

“You fucking-”

“We’ll do it,” Niki interrupted their squabble, stepping up. “I want to find Tubbo and Tommy too.”

Wilbur’s eyes widened. “Niki-”

“It’s okay, Wilbur,” she said gently, giving his hand a squeeze. “Tommy and Tubbo are out there. We can find them and bring them home.”

He didn’t reply.

“Don’t you miss them?”

Wilbur sighed. “Yeah… I miss them so much.”

“Then we can get them back.”

Wilbur smiled at her, and she smiled back brightly. He turned towards the three of them. “We’ll do it. We’ll make a truce.”

Schlatt grinned. “Wonderful. I knew you’d come to your senses.”

“I wanna make some agreements, though.” 

“Of course,” the President nodded, “What did you have in mind?”

“We’ll help each other,” Wilbur started, “But we don’t have to  _ like _ each other. And we can’t just turn on each other, or start plotting against each other. We have to stay civil.”

Schlatt sighed, but he left a smile on his face. George internally cringed. It was strange how hard his superior tried. “I can agree to that. Shake on it?”

Wilbur held out his hand, and Schlatt shook it. It was a bit anticlimactic. George wasn’t sure himself as to what he was expecting. Maybe he’d thought that the world wouldn’t seem so dark, now that they’d made a truce. Nothing happened. They shook hands, and they all stood there awkwardly before Techno turned on his heels and left. Niki and Wilbur followed, and Dream gave him one last lingering look that made his skin crawl and caused him to be hyper aware of how he looked at the moment. Finally, he turned away, following the others into the depths of the forest.

“Well,” Schlatt grinned, “That went well.”

“Yeah,” George nodded, “It went really well, didn’t it?”

~~~

They all cheered as they arrived back to Pogtopia. 

“We’re gonna get Tommy back!” Niki cheered, her grin widening as Wilbur’s eyes shined.

“We’re getting Tommy  _ and _ Tubbo back!” Wilbur laughed, and Niki engulfed him in a hug, her arms wrapping loosely around his neck as he spun her around, the both of them laughing.

Dream smiled from where he watched them, leaning against the wall.

“I’m happy for them,” Techno said suddenly, a potato in hand. Dream turned to look at him for a moment before he nodded in agreement.

“Me too.”

The conversation was left there, but Niki came up to them once to tell them that they were getting Tommy and Tubbo back, despite them obviously seeing the spectacle that she and Wilbur had just put on. Dream smiled and nodded. “We know.”

  
_ We’re getting Tommy and Tubbo back _ , He thought, a grin growing on his own face,  _ I’m getting George back too. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aksdfjilsdjkf sorry it took so long again- *but* i hope it was worth the wait!!!!! lots of ppl have been asking for more tubbo and tommy, so don't worry, bc they're coming back next chapter!! pog? :0
> 
> anyway, tysm for reading! i've gotten loads of nice comments that just make my day, and you guys are honestly just so fucking sweet. ilya <3
> 
> im kinda hungry now bc it's like late in the afternoon and i haven't eaten all day bc i make bad life choices, so I'm gonna eat something. stay hydrated and eat well, kids. dont be like me.
> 
> before we part: have a lovely day/night and remember that there's always a reason to smile :D
> 
> until next time (the wait won't be as long i swear-)! ;>
> 
> ~donut -w-

**Author's Note:**

> c:  
> -donut


End file.
